TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan spotted two Russian warships off its east coast on Tuesday and sent its own planes and ships to monitor them, the island’s defense ministry said.
In a statement late Tuesday, the ministry said the two warships traveled in a northerly direction off Taiwan’s east coast and then „departed our response zone” in a southeasterly direction from the port city of Chuao, home of Taiwan’s main navy. the foundation.
Taiwan’s military sent aircraft and ships for surveillance and activated land-based missile systems, it added, without providing further details.
Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday that ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet had entered the southern parts of the Philippine Sea to carry out missions as part of a long-distance sea route.
Taiwan has joined the US and its allies in enacting wide-ranging sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Democratically-ruled Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has regularly reported Chinese naval vessels and air force aircraft operating around the island for the past three years.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Jamie Freed)